Roanoke County church votes to break with ELCA

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/220520

[The Roanoke Times] 29 Sep 2009--One of the largest evangelical Lutheran churches in Western Virginia on Sunday afternoon took the first step to split from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

By a majority of 70 percent, members of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Southwest Roanoke County, voted to separate from the largest Lutheran church in North America.

The move comes on the heels of the ELCA's decision last month in Minneapolis to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy. Previously the ELCA had required gay clergy to remain celibate.

Senior pastor Mark Graham said his church does not "want to be seen as anti-gay or against homosexuals," but the ELCA's statement goes against the church's interpretation of marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The fact the church even had to consider the issue is troublesome to Elijah Mwitanti, associate pastor at St. John and a native of Zambia in southern Africa.

"This just shows how far off the deep end we in America have gone," Mwitanti said.

He said he has yet to broach the subject with his father, an African Christian, of same-sex couples living together. Mwitanti said he does not want to concern his father.

"This is probably the biggest issue our congregation ever faced," said Roger Kronau, council president at St. John.